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77 stories matching exorbit
- Whitman County Farmers Declare War on Monopoly
Spring Flat settlers resolve to stop buying Northern Pacific Railroad lands at 'exorbitant' prices, challenging the company's title to the public domain.
- The High Cost of Shipping Produce to the Sound
Yakima farmers complain that exorbitant transport rates are leaving them with nothing to show for their labor.
- Whatcom Fights Back Against 'Exorbitant' Insurance
After paying $250,000 in premiums with only $5,800 in losses, Whatcom business leaders threaten to form their own insurance company.
- The City Says 'No' to the Power Barons: Wenatchee Rejects Electric Company Buyout
In a bold move for municipal independence, the Wenatchee City Council rejects a $100,000 offer to buy the local electric plant, citing exorbitant prices and inadequate infrastructure.
- The Bureaucratic Standoff at Point-No-Point
A federal effort to build a lighthouse on Puget Sound hit a wall in 1878 when landowners demanded 'exorbitant' prices, sparking a debate over the government's power to acquire land.
- The Price of Public Safety
City council debates delaying fire limits due to high brick costs.
- The Touchet Farmers’ Revolt Against Water Monopolies
Tired of paying exorbitant fees to private irrigation companies, local farmers are going rogue—and going underground.
- The Price of a Capitol Seat
When the Territorial Legislature convened in Olympia, residents hiked rent to price gouge the lawmakers, sparking a legislative push to abandon the capital city.
- The Pilot Who Dropped Dead at the Helm
A seasoned navigator suffers a fatal stroke while guiding a British ship through the Golden Gate, only for the crew to be extorted by a tugboat captain who demands an 'exorbitant' fee to save them.
- The High Cost of Distance
A local retailer highlights how exorbitant shipping rates are stifling the development of the Inland Northwest.
- The End of the Snoqualmie Toll
After years of litigation, King County settled a dispute with a private wagon road company, finally opening the Snoqualmie Pass route to the public for free.
- The Political Infighting of Tacoma's Republican Machine
Nelson Bennett's influence over the 'Tacoma Ledger' creates deep rifts in Pierce County politics, fueling tensions ahead of the local convention.
- Tapping the Source
Tacoma prepares to test new municipal wells to bypass private water monopoly pricing.
- The Oyster Famine of 1889
A labor shortage in the hopfields leads to a seasonal scarcity of oysters in Seattle, leaving local markets bare.
- The Theater War on Hewitt Avenue
The local Trades Council rallies behind stage hands, accusing the Everett Theatre manager of using a contract dispute to mask business failures.
- The Boodle Scandal at the Falls
Citizens storm the courthouse to stop an exorbitant, million-dollar water-works project they claim is rife with city hall corruption.
- The Shadow Over City Hall
A local voter demands the Statesman offer Mayor Hunt space to refute corruption allegations involving public contracts and water rights.
- The Free Real Estate Gamble of 1876
Facing a housing crunch, a prominent developer offers free land to anyone willing to build—a desperate move to spur growth in North Seattle.
- Uprising Against a Commissioner in Haller City
Over 200 residents of Snohomish County petition for the removal of U.S. Commissioner George Morrill, citing alleged graft and dishonest land-filing practices.
- Farmers Seek Seattle Tide-Water Elevator
Eastern Washington farmers arrive in Seattle to bypass grain speculators by building their own tide-water facility.
- The High Cost of Railroad Monopoly
Central Washington farmers argue that exorbitant freight rates are strangling the local economy, forcing residents to buy inferior California produce.
- A Russian Immigrant's Alleged Property Fraud
A local man sues his lawyer for allegedly abusing his trust to seize his Washington Street property.
- Populists Assemble to Shake the Foundations of State Politics
Delegates from fourteen counties descend on North Yakima for a secretive, high-stakes convention to overhaul state laws and challenge corporate power.
- The High Price of Patronage Printing
A sharp look at how the Tacoma Ledger allegedly extracted $9,000 from the Pierce County treasury through sweetheart printing contracts.
- The Price of Rail Dominance
A clash over mileage rates and interest terms strains the relationship between the Oregon Railway & Navigation Company and the Northern Pacific.